As my mantra is “Words Matter,” I’m fascinated by the etymology of words, how different cultures use language, and when people misuse English. I’ve covered spelling bees, written about mondegreens and eggcorns, and advocated for the banishing of overused words. So, it’s probably not surprising I’m fascinated with jokes that contain a play on words. Here’s one I heard recently: A woman was…
According to neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, author of How Emotions Are Made, emotions aren’t hardwired in your brain but are instead “made in the moment.“ Historically, scientists believed your brain triggers an evolutionary response to external factors, causing your body to act in a predetermined way. For example, if you saw a bear in the woods, you…
Since 1976, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) has compiled an annual list of words that should be banned with the goal to… uphold, protect, and support excellence in language by encouraging avoidance of words and terms that are overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, clichéd, illogical, nonsensical—and otherwise ineffective, baffling, or irritating. Over the last 50 years, LSSU…
A few weeks ago, I got an SMS message from a former colleague saying “Did you know that disguising brands is the new flex in marketing?” He linked to this nameless billboard with a red swirling background and the words ‘It Has To Be Fries.’ Color me confused. After a closer look, I realized the…
Ever heard of the buttered cat paradox? The buttered cat paradox is a humorous thought experiment which combines two common adages: While you may think it’s an urban legend, experiments have shown 81% of the time buttered toast lands on the floor butter side down. Also, a phenomenon known as the cat righting reflex has…
Whatever happened to the mantra: Work Smarter, Not Harder? Silicon Valley is flush with stories about tech companies adopting the 996 work schedule which refers to working 9am to 9pm, 6 days per week; a 72-hour work week. The 996 phenomenon originated in China a few years ago but has resulted in mass protests, with…
Growing up in Virginia, I often heard stories about verbal jousting between Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Astor, who was also born in Virginia. One of the most memorable is the following: Lady Astor: “If you were my husband, I’d give you poison.”Sir Winston: “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.” Amusing, but not…
The Zeigarnik effect describes the fact that people tend to remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones. It happens because “unfinished tasks create a cognitive burden, weigh more heavily on the mind, and are more easily recalled than completed tasks.” The effect was first described in the 1920s by Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik after observing…
Having more oxytocin receptors in the brain might be the key difference between mean people and nice ones. In a study published in Biology Letters, researchers analyzed seven different closely related lemur species, noting which ones were egalitarian, which ones were male dominant, and which ones were female dominant. While the animal kingdom has many…
What happens if we relook at predictions from 100 years ago? Futurists usually aren’t judged on the accuracy of their predictions, and people rarely revisit the predictions many years later. Futurists can be wrong and unaccountable; just like meteorologists… The exception might be Ray Kurzweil who some have claimed to have a stunning 86% accuracy…